Zhenguan Xiaoxian Wang Li Shen Li Shimin

"What Lao Shi said makes some sense. Gao Ming, you don't need to worry. Besides, Lao Shi is watching over you, so there won't be any problems."

Li Shimin chimed in from the side.

"You're overthinking it, son." Li Chengqian realized he had made a mountain out of a molehill.

With Li Shen watching over things, what could possibly happen? That guy is more cunning than anyone else.

"Actually, there's no need for you to worry, brother. They only got 40% of the profits this time. There were over 120 people in the distribution, and each person got less than 20,000 guan."

This sum of money was a huge amount for them, but insignificant to the imperial court.

Li Shen just counted on his fingers and each person would only receive about 17,000 to 18,000 strings of cash. These playboys would squander a little, and their families would confiscate some of it, so there wouldn't be much left.

Confiscated? Li Shen's expression suddenly changed as he exclaimed:

"It happened!"

"What is it?" Li Shimin asked immediately.

"I just remembered that their money was confiscated by their family back then, so I said I would open a bank account for them when I distributed the dividends this time."

I had completely forgotten about it.

Li Shen suddenly remembered this incident. It was because of this that these spoiled brats came up with the idea of ​​making money from football tickets.

Li Shen suggested opening their own accounts. No one else could withdraw the money.

But he forgot that it was too late now.

However, these words made Li Shimin sigh:

"Sigh, look at other people's family education. Sons obey their fathers without question. What a misfortune for the family."

He was thinking how wonderful it would be if Li Shen were like these spoiled brats and handed over his money to his family.

Li Shen rolled his eyes after hearing this:

“Father, I have already established my own household. They were handed over to the family because the family has not yet been divided.”

Goodness, they're eyeing all their possessions.

"You scoundrel! Where do parents separate their families? I'm still alive!" Li Shimin immediately roared.

This has been the rule since ancient times.

"My father didn't give me any of the royal treasury either. There are so many royal residences, but I don't get a share. I even built this palace with my own money."

The other brothers all received houses as gifts from their father, but Ninth Brother's Prince Jin Mansion is such a large estate. Doesn't this break my heart?

And won't this empire eventually be given to my elder brother too? I..."

"What, do you still want to divide the country?" Li Shimin asked calmly before Li Shen could finish speaking.

"No, no." Li Shen immediately realized he had said the wrong thing and hurriedly shook his head vigorously.

"My son just said he didn't get anything. Brother, I don't want to share the empire."

Li Shen added another sentence to Li Chengqian.

"Hehe, if you want to divide it up, tenth brother, that's fine too. I don't mind," Li Chengqian replied with a smile.

"No, no, I don't have the energy. Brother, you know I'm lazy and can't get up for court so early."

Li Shen waved his hand repeatedly.

“It’s alright, you can change the time of court to noon later,” Li Chengqian immediately retorted.

“Yes, Gao Ming makes sense. You can decide for yourself when the time comes,” Li Shimin echoed.

"I...I'll go to the bathroom."

Seeing that he was no match for the father and son, Li Shen immediately got up and prepared to make an excuse to urinate.

"Alright, no need for the shield. Look at your pathetic self. Is this country and its people so unworthy of your attention?"

Li Shimin rebuked him. He had only been making fun of Li Shen.

"Father, it's not that I can't appreciate it, but the country and its people are too important for me to care about. It's better to give it to my elder brother; I'll just enjoy my wealth and status."

If you would be so kind as to grant me some salary, that would be even better.

"Oh? Right, if my elder brother succeeds to the throne, will the punishment be forgiven?"

Li Shen's eyes suddenly lit up. Wasn't it said that a new emperor brings a new court? Did that mean the old emperor's decree was no longer valid?

Otherwise, if I wait until I'm sixty to receive my salary, it's uncertain whether I'll even live to see that day.

"You worthless wretch! Look at your pathetic self. Any one of the servants in your palace is worth more than your annual salary."

Seeing Li Shen's obsession with his salary, Li Shimin immediately reprimanded him for his lack of ambition.

"Yes, tenth brother, look at all these treasures in your room. How could an ordinary family possibly afford them?"

Even ten thousand bushels of rice couldn't buy any of the treasures in this house.

Li Chengqian nodded in agreement. Every item in this study was a rare treasure; ordinary people couldn't afford it.

Li Shen, however, disagreed somewhat:

"Brother, you are mistaken. The price of grain has always been under control. How can you compare the price of grain with other things?"

Doesn't the elder brother know that expensive grains harm the people?

Is 20 coins a dou of rice cheap now? Brother, don't forget that ten years ago, a dou of rice only cost 5 coins.

Today, our Great Tang Dynasty has several times more grain than it did ten years ago. In order to maintain prices, we are constantly purchasing grain to balance them.

Does the older brother think that rising food prices are a good thing?

You can imagine what would happen if a peck of rice became forty coins.

The wages of the first craftsman will increase, and if wages increase, the cost of goods produced will also increase.

Taking my Prince Ji's mansion as an example, the cost has doubled. Shouldn't the price of my underlings' drinks also go up? And the meat from the feed farm will probably double as well.

The people wish for grain to be sold at a rate of one guan per dou, but if that were the case, they wouldn't be able to afford food, clothes, or even meat for a whole year.

Li Shen spoke with great emotion, saying that grain is the foundation of the nation, and its price was determined only after careful consideration.

We cannot let the people suffer losses, but we also cannot raise prices too much.

This is a situation where a small change can have far-reaching consequences; if prices rise, all industries will be affected.

The Tang Dynasty now has an abundance of grain, more than it can eat. It's already a miracle that the price hasn't dropped, thanks to Li Shen's large-scale grain purchases.

Li Shen's words made Li Chengqian fall into deep thought. He had only said it jokingly, but he did not expect Li Shen to give him so many profound insights.

Seeing that Li Chengqian remained silent, Li Shen continued:

"Brother, I know you care about the people and hope they can live a prosperous life, but matters concerning people's livelihoods should not be judged arbitrarily, and we should not simply follow the crowd."

Farmers hope their grain will sell for higher prices, and livestock farmers similarly hope their pork and beef will be more expensive.

This applies to tea merchants and fruit tree growers alike; it's only human nature.

But we are not ordinary people. We cannot limit our vision to one place. Otherwise, my Prince Ji's Mansion would have been truly richer than a country long ago. Why would we still owe so much money?

I also wish cotton were as valuable as gold, but how could ordinary people afford it?

The powerful families also hoped that the salt could be sold for one string of cash. When Jiangnan was hit by disaster, the Xiao and Wang families doubled the price of salt. My elder brother also knew about this. If I hadn't threatened them, it would have been the common people who suffered.

Don't compare food to these luxuries; these things are for the rich to squander their wealth and have nothing to do with ordinary people.

(Personal opinion, please refrain from personal attacks)